MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday signed a law that declares the Filipino Sign Language as the national sign language of the Filipino Deaf.

The Filipino Sign Language Act also declares the country's national sign language as the official sign language of the government in all transactions involving the deaf.

The law, which seeks to eliminate all forms of discrimination against the Filipino Deaf, also mandates the use of the Filipino Sign Language in schools, broadcast media, and workplaces.

It also mandates the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, in consultation with the stakeholders, to establish a national system of standards and procedures for the interpretation of the Filipino Sign Language.

The University of the Philippines and other education agencies are tasked to develop guidelines for the development of training materials in the education of the Deaf.

The law also require the availability of qualified sign language interpreters in all hearings, proceedings, and government transactions involving the Deaf.

Within a year from the law's date of effectivity, the law also requires media to have Filipino Sign Language interpreter insets in news and public affairs programs, may it be broadcast or online news video. --report from Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News